Separator



bet. 5, 1926.

i ,602;354 T c; FOWLER SEPARATOR Filed March 5, 1925 INVENTOR Earle), I

ATI'ORNE-YS Patented Oct. 5, 1926.

: CHARLES FOWLER, OF TOMKINS COVE, NEW YORK.

snrem'ron.

Application filed March 5, 1925. Serial My invention is a device for separating the lighter liquids from heavier liquids or substances of a mixture which comprises liquids of diife'rent specifioigravities, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is the provi sion of a separator which afiords facilities 1 for separating and, removing lighter liquids from heavier liquids of a mixture without any appreciable agitation of the heavier liquids or substances of which the mixture is composed. I i

A'further object of the invention is the provision of a separator of the character described having means whereby a mixture can be broken up into its constituent substances by the application of heated fluid.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a separator of the character described which permits inspection of the substances .therewithin while such substances gredllieing subjected to the action of a heated ui Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

39 Figure 1 is a view mainly 1n vertical sec' tion and partly in side-elevation, showing a separator embodying the invention with an expansible displacing member which is comprised in the device deflated, Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the expansible displacing member inflated, v

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and T 4 1 I Figure 4 is a'plan view of the top cover of the device, showing a window in the cover and the means for cleaningthe inner surface of the window.

In carrying out the invention, I provide 4 a vessel having abody 1 which decreases in cross sectiona area from its lower to its upper end. A bottom 2 preferably has the shape of an inverted frustum of a cone, and 1 is merged at its lower end into a depending 50, tubular outlet 3 which is of relatively great area. The tubular outlet 3 is controlled by a valve 4 and is normally closed. 3

The body 1 is closed at its upper end by a to cover or lid 5 which ma be attached to e body 1 by a hingefi an may be kept closed by a catch 7 or in anyother suitable known manner. .The lid 5 includes a sectron 8 which is made of a transparent material, such as glassso that the interiorof the vessel is visible through the section 8. A short vertical shaft 9 which is journaled in a vertical bearing 10 integral with-the lid 5 extends through the lid 5. A crank 11 may be provided at the upper end of the shaft 9 and the'lower end of the-shaft 9 carries a laterally extending arm 12 which will swing in a plane close to the underside of the section 8 when the shaft 9 isrocked. An arm 12 carrles a cleaning member 13 in contact with the underface of the transparent section 8 so that the underfaceof the section 8 can be keptclean.

, The vessel 1 has a I to its upper end. The port 14 is relatively narrow vertically and is elongated circumferentially of the body 1. This port 14 is lateral port 14 adjacent in the nature of an overflowopening, and it is obvious that a suitable tubular conduit, not shown, for conducting the overflow from the vessel can be secured to the vessel in any suitable known manner in communication with the port 14 so that the overflow from the vessel can be conducted to a desirable place. 4

' An expansible displacing member 15 is shown as a bag having walls made of elastic material. The bag 15 isanchored in the lower part of the vessel by means of an attaching element 16 carried by the bag and bein secured in an opening17 in the bottom mem er 2 of the vessel. The attaching element 16 is shown as being a projection in threaded engagement with the wall of the opening 17 The vessel also is provided with another openin indicated at 18 through which a reduce nipple portion 19 of the bag extends. The nipple portion 19 fits tightly in the opening 18 so that escape of liquid between the nipple 19 and the wall of the opening, 18 is prevented. The opening 18 is located in the lower part ofthe vessel,

being shown as formed in the body 1 adjacent to the juncture bottom 2. The nipple 19 is adapted for connection with any suitable source of fluid pressure supply, such as the service connection of a pump.

The operation of the parts described so far is substantially as followsr- A mixture containing liquids of different s cific gravities may be placed in the vessel t rough the opening which will, be providedof the latter ,with the iris llO

at the upper end of the vessel when the lid 5 is opened. The lid 5 is then closed, It will be understood that the bag 15 is deflated at this time, and that the level of liquid Within the vessel is below that of the portll l, say

at the level indicated by the dash lines'in Figure 1. The nipple 19 then is connected withany suitable source of fluid pressure supply, and the bag .15 is inflated and expanded as shown in Figure 2. The expansion of the bag 15. of course decreases the space Which is available within the vessel for liquid and causes the level of the liquid within the vessel to be raised so that liquid will flow through the port 14 and as here- -inbefore pointed out, can be conducted by ing any change in their relative positions,

and that therefore the lighter liquid at the top of the mixturewill flow through the port 14 before the level of the heavier liquid or liquids is raised to the level of the port 14. The lnflation of the bag 15 may be effected slowly so that the lighter liquid at the top of the mixture will be discharged gradually from'the vessel and the expansion of the bag 15 will not result in such agitation of the contents of the vessel as would be likely to cause more intimate commmgling of the liqpids of different specific gravities than es place when the mixture within the vessel is in a state of rest.

The device is particularly adapted for use in separating oil from blubber, and for the removal of the oil. To this end, a delivery pipe 20 extends through an opening 21 in the wall of a lower portion of the vessel. The delivery pipe 20 is adapted to discharge into the lower part of the vessel, and may be connected with any suitable source of supply of live or'h'eated steam. A valve 22 may be provided for 'controllin the flow of steam through the pipe 20. he blubber within the vessel is subjected to the act-ion of live or heated steam from the pipe 20 and the oil that is extracted from the blubher because of the action of the heated steam will of course be uppermost in the mixture of blubber and liquid within the vessel. When the heatingor cooking of the blubber has been accomplished, the bag 15 is expands ed in the manner hereinbefore described so thatthe oil will flow from the vessel through the port 14. The residue within the vesselcan be removed through the tubular outlet nipple 19 from the source of pressure fluid supply, or if desired, the nipple 19 may be provided with a pet cock, not shown, or other suitable device by means of which the fluid within the bag can be exhausted therefrom without there being any necessity of detaching the nipple 19 from the source of pressure supply. The moisture that collects on the transparent section 8 of the lid during the cooking operation can be wiped therefrom by the use of cleaning means 13129 so that inspection of the contents of the vessel can be made at any time desired.

Obviously, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that wl ich is illustrated in the accompanying draw'ngs, and I therefore consider as my own alr such modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim I 1. A device of the character described, comprising a vessel having a valved outlet at the bottom and a normally open overflow port adjacent to its upper end.and an expansible displacing member within the vessel, wherebv part of the contents of the vessel may be discharged through said overflow port. I

2. A device of the character described,

comprising a vessel having a body decreasing in cross sectional area from its'lower to its upper end, a bottom for said body and a top closing the upper end of the body, said body having a lateral port adjacent to its upper end, and an expansible pneumatic displacing member secured within the lower part of the vessel and adapted for connection with a source of pressure fluid supply external to said vessel.

3; A vessel of the character described,-

threaded opening, and means for introducing heated fluid into the lower part of said vessel, said body having a lateral port adjacent to the upper end thereof. i

. CHARLES FOWLER. 

